


Soul and Blood

by Plushiesaur



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls Online
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor, Gen, Main Storyline, Vampires, novelization with artistic liberty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:56:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plushiesaur/pseuds/Plushiesaur
Summary: Tossed into the unknown by a Dragon Break, Skye finds herself imprisoned in an unfamiliar place and in the company of a very polite vampire. They need to escape - and on the horizon a storm is brewing...Based on ESO Greymoor quest "Bound in Blood".[Edited heavily on 26.07.2020, no changes in plot]
Relationships: Fennorian (Elder Scrolls)/Original Female Character(s), Fennorian/Skye(oc)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 41
Collections: Scrolls of the Dragonborn





	1. Bound in Blood

Skye's head was still spinning. As she slowly regained her senses, the shadows and flickering lights began to take more familiar shapes. The first thing she recognized however, was the smell: an unpleasantly familiar odour of cold, dusty, stale air.

Rubbing the back of her throbbing head, the Nord groaned, lifting herself from the ground.

' _A Nordic crypt?..'_

A claustrophobic cell in a Nordic crypt, to be exact.

Nothing in sight but urns, stone sarcophagi and a barred exit.

“Is someone out there?” a muffled voice ripped through the silence; the girl almost jumped out of her skin. “I could use your assistance, I'm uh, quite trapped in here!”

The small blonde ran up to the sarcophagus the voice came from and with all her strength pulled at the heavy stone slab. When it finally gave way, a ghostly pale Altmer stumbled out of the coffin, falling to the ground with a thud.

“My thanks” he sighed in relief, leaning on the stone frame and looking up at his new companion. His eyes were eerily white, the pupils unnaturally contracted; nonetheless he seemed to have all his senses. “You were on the road, weren't you? I saw you just before the witches caught us and tossed me into this stone box. Glad you're finally awake.” he smiled briefly, but his poor state was unmissable. “Ah, um, apologies for my ghastly appearance. I'm... not feeling my best.”

“Can I help you in some way?” she offered instantly, getting down on one knee by his side. The young man's unruly dark hair flowed down, covering parts of his face, but there was a strange, ashen tint to his skin, especially around the eyes. He definitely looked ill, but it resembled no ailment that she knew of.

“The witches must have stashed my belongings nearby. Among them,” his voice trembled from exhaustion, “is a small flask. I can open the door. Once I do, I need you to retrieve that flask for me. I'll be too weak. And until I have it, you're in significant danger.”

“Danger?..”

“I swear I intend you no harm. If I don't get that flask back, however, my intentions won't matter. Retrieve it and we'll break out of here together.”

Skye nodded and stood up, offering the Mer a hand; but he - as though reluctant to touch her, scrambled back up on his own and limped over to the gate. She observed his movement carefully, concerned for how unsteady it was. Her pale companion must have seen a different meaning behind her glare though.

“Don't be afraid. This might be jarring, but it's a necessary part of the plan.”

She shook her head and looked away awkwardly.

In the blink of an eye the Mer vanished, replaced by a cloud of swirling, red mist. It moved smoothly through the gate and dissipated, revealing him again by the gate mechanism. He pressed the lever down and the bars lifted.

Leaving him leaning against the wall, Skye hurried to the nearby alcove that was stuffed with some crates and rough furniture. There on the table, stood a small engraved flask filled with dark, thick liquid. Paying little attention to what surrounded it, she grabbed it and returned to the Elf.

“Did you find it? Give it to me!” he hardly repressed a growl, reaching out with shaking hands. Once Skye handed the flask over, he drank almost all of it in one go. Slowly, the odd ashen tint vanished from his skin, giving way to softer, warmer white.

“Yes, that's better...” he sighed in relief, his voice rid of the strange roughness and exhaustion. “Thank you, I could feel my control slipping away.” he added, turning his gaze to Skye. His previously ghoulish eyes turned back to normal too, now gleaming with the colour of amethysts.

Something clicked in her head, but he spoke again before she could.

“Yes - that was blood. But, I swear there's no cause for alarm. Not every vampire is a monster.” he explained somewhat defensively. “I'm part of a group that only drinks from willing donors. We regulate the actions of less scrupulous vampires.”

“Oh? I wasn't aware such a group even exists!..” she admitted, tilting her head curiously. She's heard of vampires before of course, but had never come in contact with any.

“It's not exactly something you'd want to announce far and wide. I belong to House Ravenwatch, one of the noble houses of Rivenspire. We adhere to the teachings of our founder, Count Verandis Ravenwatch: we take no blood by force, help those in need; and curtail the actions of more... hostile vampires.”

Skye couldn't help a genuine, big smile, seeing what great pride her new companion takes in this.

“Skyrim is a long way from Rivenspire though! What brought you all the way here?”

“We go where we're needed. I was investigating a burial site in Bangkorai when I discovered smugglers stealing ancient remains. I followed the trail, ran into the witches and... well, you know the rest. Now, we need to get out of here.”

“Sounds like you have a plan.”

“Sort of. I regained enough of my senses when they carried me in here to remember the way out. It's pretty straightforward. I'll guide the way if you help me fend off anyone who blocks our path. If we work together, I'm certain we can escape.”

“Sure! Lead the way then.”

“Follow closely.” her companion said once they were done recovering some of the items the witches took from them, “You never know what's wandering around in those old barrows.”

' _Oh I certainly do'_ Skye thought, but bit her tongue just in time. Probably not the wisest thing to creep out a stranger that's trying to help.

They passed into the next chamber. It was filled with shipment crates - and quite unexpected amounts of armor and weaponry.

“I wonder why the witches are storing all these things... See if you can find a weapon. I'll grab something more suitable to my skills.”

Right, weapons. The kidnappers took all of her trusted gear.

' _I guess leaving the Dawnbreaker at home was a good idea after all'_ \- she thought, rummaging through the racks and boxes. She picked up a decent bow and a quiver full of arrows. There were even some good Nord axes and daggers laying about – she took one of each, strapped them in and readied her bow instead. Turning around, she saw her new ally balancing a restoration staff with consideration. He nodded to himself, grasped it firmly and looked towards her as well.

“I didn't know vampires had much use for the restoration school.” she remarked, curious.

“It is a rare occurrence indeed, but with enough dedication we can benefit from it, in fact. I've studied the arts of healing and aid for--”

“What are you two doing out?!” - The door behind him opened and an armored Nord man barged in, drawing his sword. He didn't get a chance to strike.

A single arrow went right through his throat, before he could usher another word. The Altmer flinched as the corpse fell down right next to him. Skye winced awkwardly.

“I hope we're going to be able to sneak past the others... “

“The smell of blood is... overwhelming. We should keep moving.” he whispered, stepping away and through the door.

“Are you that sensitive to it?” she posed the question carefully, following.

“Not always, no; but considering my current state, it is difficult to pay no mind to it.”

The barrow, like many others, was built inside a cave; its tunnels and chambers winding and varying in size. Almost every nook was lined with supply crates and urns – but these weren't like the typical Nordic ones that Skye was used to seeing in most other tombs.

No, these were slender, sharp-edged and massive. The flickering torchlight reflected off a thick coat of black and red varnish, animating intricate designs engraved in them.

“What are those?” she whispered, “They don't look like urns of the Nords, they shouldn't be here...”

“They bear the same symbols as the ones I saw in Bangkorai...”

“Why would the witches need them here?”

“Whatever their purpose, it can't be good. The ashes inside are no ordinary remains, if these urns are the exact same ones- Wait! Do you hear that?”

“...Voices!” she hissed and leaped behind a large boulder, her companion right behind.

Echoes filled the massive cavern as two people stepped onto the bridge just above their heads. Skye recognized one of them as the witch they met on the road, but the man that accompanied her, she's never seen before.

“Won't you stay and see? The storm's effects will be quite devastating.” the witch's strong voice rang across the stone hall.

“For as long as everything is being prepared for the first harrowstorm gathering, I will be present.” the man answered, as both went out of vision.

“Very curious...” the vampire murmured, bringing a hand to his chin.

“What's on your mind?”

“That was Urgala, leader of this branch of the Icereach Coven. She's the witch who locked us in this barrow.”

“And the man?”

“I'm not sure, but I believe he's... one of my kind. They mentioned a devastating storm... We need to find out what exactly they have planned.”

“Let's follow them then.” she proposed right away.

“We'll make an investigator out of you yet!” the Mer exclaimed, making Skye giggle “I need to figure out how those stolen remains, the Icereach coven and that vampire are connected. Let's catch up to Urgala and her guest and see what we can find out.”

There was something really warm and pleasant in the way he spoke and behaved, Skye thought. He had a strange energy unlike the people she's met before, but oddly familiar. This was definitely no time for getting analytical over it, but to put it shortly, she felt glad she had such an ally on this unexpected adventure.

The narrow corridors were devoid of life, but a strange reddish mist lingered in them. It smelled of hot ash and something more, that Skye couldn't place. She peeked behind the next corner and gasped inaudibly.

“What in the world are those??...”

Around the chamber crawled and stumbled several creatures - strangely human in shape and dress, but hissing and growling like animals. Some crept around on all fours, yellowish ooze dripping from their mouths, their eyes glowing red in the dim light of the torches. A couple of them in the far corner of the room were leaning over something lying on the floor and ripping it to shreds. Skye preferred not to know what that thing could have been.

“Some kind of bloodfiends...” he frowned “But not like any I've seen before. And look at those wooden stakes with skulls and symbols all over! This could be some sort of a ritual site, or a testing ground, but to what purpose?”

“Look, there's more of those urns there, on the pedestal!”

“Yes, and some alchemical tools on the table right by them...”

“Let's try to sneak through by that wall. Stay close.”

“Lead the way, friend.”

Slipping through the shadows, they passed by unnoticed, but the further they went the more fiends they found crawling around. Luckily, the creatures didn't seem to have very keen senses.

“Through here! Hurry!”

Picking up the pace, they went around the corner, up th stairs and through the gate, outside – _finally_ outside!

But something was not right.

A strong gust of wind greeted them... even though the barrow stood sheltered between mountain slopes. The moonlight was gone – blotted out by sickly, tar-black clouds. They started whirling...

“Look! The sky! What have they done?..” the Mer lamented “We must reach that clearing!”

“This way!” Skye led him down a steep slope, off the beaten path. The place was crawling with fiends, but what's worse, now there were also the coven witches roaming the area – and those couldn't be so easily outwitted.

The trees provided them with just enough cover, but once they reached the opposite side of the valley the barrow was nested in, confrontation became inevitable.

' _ One guard by the stairs.' _ Skye counted in her head.

_'Two on the top.'_

_'Maybe more.'_

_'We'll have to make a run for it'_

“Get ready.” she said, grabbing two additional arrows and readying the bow to fire.

One.

The arrow went through the thug's chest.

Two.

There was a rustle on the upper level, but the archer and the vampire were already sprinting up the stairs.

Three.

“Intruders!!”

Still in motion, with one swift move Skye turned her bow horizontally and shot two arrows at once. The sorcerers fell.

Another set of stairs, this time empty. They both rushed through it, as the sky got darker and darker, moons and stars lost.

“That door ahead! Looks like the way up to the clearing.” he exclaimed and both ran inside.

Stillness and silence, once more.

“This place is thick with the coven members... be on your guard.”

Skye inspected the chambers ahead. The corridors were wider and better lit here. Not many good hiding spots anymore, at last for now. Another realization came to her mind: all this time she hasn't seen a single draugr – dead or walking.

' _What have they done with all the bodies that were buried here?..'_

A shiver went down her spine. Trying to ignore it, she readied her bow and moved boldly onward.

They entered a large hall, with a single row of tables and several chairs standing in the middle.

Four coven members.

Nowhere to hide.

“Shoulda stayed where ya were...” a raspy-voiced warrior growled at them, lifting himself from the chair with a tight grip on his battleaxe.

Without slowing her stride, Skye pierced right through his head and lurched forward, momentarily hiding behind the falling corpse, dropping the bow and grabbing her axe. As she stood back up, another man was already charging at her – but a spell wooshed just next to her ear and hit the warrior, blasting him back and leaving a singed hole in his breastplate.

The girl pounced towards a witch readying her spell and slashed with all her might; and when she doubled down, Skye smacked the opponent's head with the handle, knocking her out.

“HEAD DOWN!” the Mer screamed just as she turned around to see a ball of sparks rushing right at her. She fell down to the floor and impulsively kicked a chair in the direction of the last warlock standing; but he was ready, flinching out of the furniture's way without a sign of struggle - and with another spell already charging up!

“Fus!!!” she yelled weakly, choking on her own uneven breath, but it was enough. A small force wave knocked him off balance and canceled the spell. Some clutter fell down from the table and shattered. Another ball of light fired from behind her and knocked the man out cold.

The vampire ran up to his companion and helped her stand up. She quickly grabbed her weapons and they pressed on. The path led them steadily upwards.

“Gods, do these never end” Skye uttered under her breath as they opened a massive stone door leading to the next chamber. At least the lights were more scarce again up here, and the rooms were filled with more urns, crates and had support pillars going through them, so the two could hide in the shadows again, sparing themselves the risk of another fight.

“This has to be it!” she whispered, finally spotting a significantly larger gate on the other end of a corridor. They ran up to it and pressed on it together.

The wind that hit them was even stronger than before. When they stepped out into the temple's terrace, a dreadful sight unraveled before them.

Strange circular signs were drawn on the stone floor and thick red mist hung low in the air. In the center a grotesque, twisted pike shot out into the sky – a sky that has gone completely black, swirling faster and faster, blotches of sickly red glow radiating through the clouds, accompanied by the clap of thunder.

The vampire lord and Urgala stood amid the storm, marveling at their own work.

“The harrowstorm which we wrought is a beauty, matron Urgala. I will be in touch after the harvest.” the witch's ally praised her, then vanished in a cloud of bats.

The matron reached out towards the sky and began chanting, starting the next stage of the ritual.

“Kill her! Maybe that will stop the storm from growing!”

Skye didn't need to be told twice.

Arrows flew, but the witch deflected them with a ward, turning towards the intruders.

“You've escaped?” she hissed “No matter! Soon all of Skyrim will fall!!”

The witch slammed her staff into the ground and a wave of ice spikes emerged from the ground, reaching out for the fighters like a hungry kraken.

“Move away!!!” Skye screamed, avoiding getting impaled by just a hair.

Quickly regaining her balance, she fired off another series of arrows. Most got deflected by a wall of ice, but one darted the matron's arm.

“Your efforts mean nothing! The harvest will succeed!”

“We'll see about that!” Skye barked back, tossing her bow aside and preparing to charge with an axe. The woman laughed emptily seeing such a foolish move.

Then, just as Skye went into her range, she switched hands and blasted her opponent with a massive fireball! The spell crashed right through the barrier, setting the crone ablaze. Before she could even scream, an axe cut right into her neck, ending the agony before it began.

The witch was dead, but the wind only grew stronger.

“Look, somehow that pike is involved!” the Altmer cried, struggling against the growing blizzard. “Destroy it, quickly!!”

“Light it up!” Skye screamed against the wind, setting off the strongest fire spell she knew. He did the same and in a moment, the witch pike was nothing but ash and charred scraps of wood.

The howling has gone quieter, then stopped completely. The clouds, before so heavy they looked like they could crash into the ground any moment, now were gone in an instant. Only the eerie red mist remained.

“We did it!..” he exclaimed, breathing heavily, “The storm's dissipated!”

“Yeah!!” she stumbled up closer, her gaze going down from the sky to her companion's face.

“I wish we could have learned more before we killed Urgala.” he sighed, “I still don't understand what the coven has planned, and it's the not knowing that concerns me.”

“Well, we've learned the coven created the storm for that vampire; this has to count for something, right?”

“That's true. And we stopped that storm!” he brightened up, “My investigations have led to even darker corners, but progress has been made! Now, let's get out of here.”

She followed his lead again, while he kept talking.

“The Icereach Coven's presence in Western Skyrim worries me. The path back down is through these doors. Outside, I'll point you towards Solitude.” he looked right into her eyes “Go to the city and warn them. Whatever the coven has planned, it didn't end here.”

“Don't you want to come with me?”

“Not right now, no.” there was a note of pleasant surprise in his voice “Other members of the Ravenwatch came here ahead of me. They'll be interested in the vampire we saw and I need to get the word to them. Besides, I want to follow the trail while it's fresh. So, it only makes sense that you warn Solitude.”

“Fair.” she nodded with a smile.

Finally relatively safe and free, new questions started forming in Skye's head; namely: _what bloody year even is this?_

An idea!

“What state is Solitude in these days anyway?”

“It's currently the seat of High King Svargrim. He rules over Haafingar and several other western holds. If we can find any help against the coven, it's there.”

' _ High King Svargrim, hm... I don't recall that name... Kyne above, how far back has it taken me?' _

_ “ _ The Nords don't tolerate Reachmen in their territory.” he continued. “Once you warn the guards, I'm sure king Svargrim will dispatch his troops. The Icereach Coven threat is as good as done! But just in case, I'll tell my fellow Ravenwatch what happened here.”

“What about those urns? You mentioned you saw them in Bangkorai before, what's so special about them?”

“As I said, my investigation began in an ancient burial site in Bangkorai. Draugrkin were using similar urns, filling them with remains. Most disturbing - the ash and bones belonged to a dark army that once roamed the land” his voice suddenly lowered “the Gray Host.”

Something shivered inside her at the mention of that name, even though it was the very first time she's ever heard it.

“...Do you have any theory on why those urns are here?” she asked hesitantly.

“I have no idea” he admitted “When I stumbled into this nest of coven witches, I never expected to find a connection to the Draugrkin and the burial urns. And that vampire we saw... there's something more at play than we know; and we need to find out what.”

Out of a stone corridor, they finally went into an open space. A new day was dawning. Skye took a deep breath and relaxed. This place will always feel like home.

“Once again,” her companion started, “thank you for assisting me. Without you, I'd still be locked away. And who knows what damage that harrowstorm would have caused? Follow this road east and you should reach Solitude in short order.”

“You never told me your name, you know?” she pointed out with a timid smile. He flushed somewhat, realizing that she was right.

“A-ah, yes? Yes, of course! It's-” he stumbled awkwardly “I'm Fennorian.” he smiled sheepishly and stretched out his hand. She took it happily and shook it gently.

“I'm Skye.” she introduced herself, briefly putting her other hand onto his as well. “I am glad to have made such a friend today.

“So am I.” his smile grew “Until we meet again, fare you well.”

Stepping away, the girl bowed in a quirky greeting one last time and briskly walked down the mountain path.


	2. City of the Wolf

Solitude – City of the Wolf, the capital of Skyrim. Well, _Western Skyrim_ now, as it would seem. From Fennorian's words, Skye concluded that the dragon break must have taken her to a time when the land was split into two or perhaps more smaller parts. She was a far cry from being an expert on history, but from all that surrounded her, she concluded this spot in time couldn't be more than several hundred years before the 4th era. Ironically, the city walls looked more solid now than they did during the civil war time, which she came from.

Approaching the gates, she noticed a man stumbling strangely in her direction. Only when she came closer, she realized he's heavily wounded. She bolted towards him, just in time to ease his fall.

“Stay still, stay still! What happened to you?!” she shouted, frantically trying to assess the severity of his wounds and stop the bleeding.

“No time!” the man gasped, grabbing a strap on Skye's armor “Take this-- keep it safe!”

“Wha- What is this??” she glanced confused at a thin journal he was forcing into her hands.

“In-- formation” he spat out “The Icereach coven-- in the west. Need-- more proof.” - suddenly he shoved her away, “Go!! They're coming!”

“Who's coming??”

“Don't trust th-- them! Only-- Lyris...” the last words never left his lips. Skye stood up, staring at the dead man in disbelief.

“Hey! You there!”

The girl almost leaped out of her skin. She shoved the journal clumsily between fur folds in her armor and stood up. A city guard approached her, sword unsheathed.

“What did that fugitive tell you?” he barked in an accusatory tone, giving her a distrustful glare. “And what are you doing here? Another eastern spy??”

“I-what?” she was gobsmacked “I was just going about my business, when this man appeared, all covered in blood--”

He interrupted her, “Assisting a fugitive is a crime in Haafingar Hold. Unless you want to see how we deal with traitors and spies, tell me what he said to you.”

She stiffened up, offended.

“Nothing. He died before he could say anything.”

“Good for you. Now, go on; and mind your own business, or you'll find out that Solitude doesn't take kindly to instigators and strangers.”

“Good day, officer.” she hissed through her teeth and walked away, passing the gates.

The city looked... only a little bit different. Where there would be The Winking Skeever, now stood a tavern apparently named 'The Lonely Troll'.

' _Right, that's not important now'_ she reflected herself, ' _Let's look at that poor man's notes. Who was it that he mentioned? Lyris?.. I wonder who that could be.'_

_'...'_

_'Can't be... Titanborn, can it? That would be almost too good to be true!'_

She shook her head to focus again, then looked discreetly around, leaning inconspicuously against a wall. No one seemed to pay attention, good. She pulled out the journal - it had some pages loosely tucked into it; and those seemed to contain the most relevant information.

A personal note, unsigned:

'Brondold

The guards came asking about you. They were rattling their scabbards at anyone they could find. I'm scared. I hid your horse in the woods. I'll wait in the barn by the stables outside the city, but only for one more day.'

Then, a cargo inspection form, listing the contents of a transport from Sentinel – seemingly nothing out of ordinary. However, there was an added note on the margin:

'Saw a crew member surreptitiously marking several crates on the docks. Hidden compartments? Couldn't get a look inside.'

Finally, there was a tightly folded, tiny note:

'Left a surprise for you. Follow the directions.

Where stones stand south of the lonely docks, in the shadow of their shelter, where the living trees keep watch.'

“Hm...” she murmured, tucking the journal away more carefully this time. Everything the notes spoke of was situated outside of the city. Mindful not to draw attention, she went back out and discreetly made her way down to the stables. She peeked inside the barn and quickly spotted a rather poorly hidden young Nord girl.

“Stay back!! I'll do it! I'll stab you!” she sprung up from behind the crates, holding a dagger in both of her trembling hands.

“I'm not here to hurt you!” Skye lifted her hands in front of her, “I need to talk about Brondold.”

“I don't know any Brondold,” she was desperate “That's what I told the guards and that's what I'm telling you. I don't want any more trouble! You- you make me stab you and it's my word against yours!!”

“I'm sorry, but Brondold's dead... He left me with a stack of papers and no answers.”

“Dead? Stuhn's mercy! And I'm next, aren't I? I promise, I don't know anything! I'll disappear, I don't even l-”

“I am NOT here to KILL you! Calm down, _please._ I didn't kill him either. I just need to know what's going on here; and I'll leave you be.”

“He- he did not tell me a lot,” she finally lowered the dagger “Said he was tracking some bad people. Asked me to keep an eye out for unusual comings and goings... He'd come by now and then with a sweetroll and a few coins for my trouble.” she frowned “He was...nice.”

“...Did... you manage to notice anything unusual then?” Skye asked gently after a longer pause.

“The... last time we spoke. It was about the men with the job postings. A pair of wolves in sheep's clothing – trying to blend in, but still rough around the edges. Same with their horses, sheared mountain mares. Come from the Reach, I wager.”

“What kind of job postings?..”

“Fliers. They were hanging them at the inn and around the city. Something about... lucrative opportunity in the Druadach Mountains. I really did not pay them a lot of attention. I was more interested in the men distributing them.”

Skye nodded slowly, looking to the side. It was not much to go off, but it was a start.

“Thank you for explaining this to me, I really am grateful. And- do like you said, leave this place. The sooner the better.” Leaving her with those words, she took the course to the docks.

Wandering around them, she eventually spotted the cargo mentioned in the notes. It was a large wooden box with a red circular image painted on one side.

_'That's the same symbol as the ones in the barrow!'_

She took a quick look around, then carefully opened the crate. Inside there was nothing but ashes and some shattered fragments. They had no use, so she left them in the box, closing it quietly.

Now all that was left, was the cryptic message. What place could it be referring to? It had to be nearby, all the operations so far seemed to be strictly connected to the city of Solitude.

_'Nearby, but also secluded enough,'_ she pulled out the tiny note and read it through again, word by word. ' _Stones stand south of the docks... and living trees on watch... On the marshes perhaps? By the stone arches?'_

She looked out to the marshlands spreading beyond the canal.

_'Well, no point in standing around, I guess.'_

She had to make a bit of a detour to find a place where water was shallow enough to cross. Other than that, it took little time to find the right pile of rocks and the knapsack tucked in under one of them. It was surprising just how similar the area was despite the difference in time; so far Skye could move around almost effortlessly. It made her feel somewhat proud of herself.

The knapsack contained a couple of preserved foods (oh joy!) and another journal, with a folded letter strapped to it.

She sat down on the ground, legs crossed; and biting down on her first meal in hours, she started reading.

'Lyris,

If you're reading this, I never made it to our meeting at the Blue Palace. I'm likely either dead, or in the dungeon, but I was able to send word your way. I don't have solid proof that this Icereach Coven you're hunting is in Haafingar hold, but something's rotten in Solitude. I know I'm on the right trail. Unfortunately, it seems they know it too. I wish I had more information for you. I'm sorry.

Bring what I found to Queen Gerhyld. She's more levelheaded than the king. Without her influence, I doubt you'll even be able to see High King Svargrim.

Brondold'

The journal was filled with details on its late owner's approach to the investigation. It mentioned places and people worth attention, among them: a well-informed gambler and a very talkative (when provided with enough alcohol) Orc residing at the Lonely Troll inn.

The notes remarked on the general distrust of the locals towards strangers, but also recent sightings of Redguard ships coming regularly to port – filled with very strange crew and cargo...

Finally – it contained one of the fliers the stable girl mentioned before. It stated the need for laborers and crafters for a location beyond the Druadach Mountains.

_'Strange that it promises such high reward and requires a year-long commitment, but says nothing about the specifics of the job...'_ she thought, running through the text a couple of times. A note scribbled onto the edge of the flier claimed no one in town knew what exactly the job entails either.

There wasn't much more, but the picture inside Skye's head already started getting clearer. After finishing her meal, she packed up the journal, salvaged a couple more things from the sack and steadily made her way back to the city.

The thought of the upcoming conversation made her anxious. She never considered herself a good talker - especially when matters involved informing someone that a person they probably had ties with is dead; and proceeding to barge herself into the investigation. While she _did_ have reasons to want part in this case, it didn't mean the woman in question had to agree to that.

Suddenly she felt a pang of loneliness.

_'I wish Emerald was here... She always handled these things better than me.'_

She sighed shortly, cradling her tense stomach with one arm, each step getting her closer to the inevitable.

Finally she arrived at the Blue Palace courtyard - and sure enough, by the gate stood an armored, blonde woman with a great battleaxe strapped to her back. She was so tall, not even a fool could mistake her for anyone else.

' _Lyris Titanborn... So this is the time I'm in, the middle of the Second Era. Gods, I can't believe I'm seeing this legend with my own eyes!..'_ Skye took a deeper breath, nervously straightened her leather armor pieces and marched forward purposefully.

' _Don't overthink it don't overthink it don't overthink it don't overth-'_

“I'm accustomed to stares, but I reached my threshold for gawkers a long time ago.” the towering woman spoke, seeing Skye approach her steadily, “Move along, I'm waiting for someone.”

“N-no I-” the poor girl flushed immediately, “Brondold isn't coming. He's dead, I'm sorry...”

“He's what??” she exploded briefly “Damnit!.. Queen Gerhyld will be here at any moment. Look – her highness is expecting to talk to me and my contact. I need _you_ to _pretend_ to be that contact or this will go very badly.”

“I've read through Brondold's notes, what exactly is this all about?”

“We can exchange intimate details of our lives later,” Lyris responded, shaking her head “Right now, just know that the safety of all of Skyrim – maybe even Tamriel – depends on how this meeting goes. So follow my lead and be on your best behaviour with her highness.”

“Understood.”

“Lyris Titanborn,” they both heard a voice coming from the palace gate. A noble woman came out into the courtyard, her dark hair arranged neatly, an elegant crown resting on it. “Your reputation is known even here in the west. Is this one of your famed companions?” she asked, turning briefly towards Skye. Her stomach twisted into a knot, almost certain who the queen was actually referring to.

“No.” Lyris answered shortly. “But I assure you, my partner is one of the Skald-King's best. Go introduce yourself, partner.”

“It is an honour to meet you, your highness,” she stepped up and bowed in respect. The initial stress faded slightly “My name is Skye.”

“The letter that preceded your arrival said an attempt was made at Skald-King's life. It indicated that High King Svargrim would be next. My husband took it as an accusation and a threat,” the queen explained to her guests, “He will not meet with you, but I will hear you out.”

“I've witnessed some concerning things since I've arrived in Western Skyrim, your majesty.” Skye took up the mantle, “I believe they require your immediate attention.”

“Have you anything that would persuade my husband? It will take some substantial evidence to convince him to heed the words of the Skald-King...”

“I encountered a coven of Reach witches operating on your territory. They had kidnapped me and a companion of mine. We managed to escape and incapacitate them for the time being, but I'm certain this is not the only coven nest operating in the area.”

The queen nodded solemnly.

“Trouble from the Reach is as common as snow in winter; that will not be enough for Svargrim to accept the help of outsiders, however - his hatred for Jorunn runs too deep. I will speak on your behalf, but you and Lyris must bring me proof my husband cannot ignore.”

“We'll find it, your majesty.” Lyris answered with determination.

“Thank you for alerting me to this situation; I am eager to see what else you uncover. I will do what I can, but be as discreet as possible. If you run afoul of my husband, he won't hesitate to send you back to Jorunn – and not necessarily in one piece.”

' _What a charmer'_ Skye thought, repressing an ironic smile.

The three women exchanged greetings and the queen left. Now, Lyris turned to her new ally.

“You handled that better than I expected,” Skye smiled nervously at that remark. “Now, what in Mara's name happened to Brondold??”

“He was fleeing from someone and gave me a bundle of notes just before he bled out...”

“Damn” Titanborn whispered, shaking hear head “Lucky he found you. Brondold was supposed to get the lay of the land before I got here. Without his information, my work for Jorunn the Skald-King could be over before it begins. What did he give you? Hand it over.”

“Here you go. This is what he gave me; and I found this in a stash he marked in his notes.” Skye explained, giving both journals to her.

“Hmm... Smugglers and Reachmen up to illicit business. Nothing unusual there, but Brondold thought it could be connected to the coven.” Lyris explained, sifting through the notes. “I'm short a good investigator and you stepped into the role easily enough. Can I count on you to help me with this?”

“Absolutely! What do you need from me?”

“Brondold mentioned some locals we should talk with. There's a snitch named Greyga who likes to gamble in back alleys, and an Orc named Maugh who frequents the Lonely Troll inn. Let's find them and see what they can tell us.”

“Alright, let's go then. Can you tell me now what exactly is happening here?”

“Succinctly? No, but I will try. The Icereach Coven recently attacked the Skald-King. We learned they're planning something in Western Skyrim as well, so Jorunn sent me to warn them. Beyond that, we have the leads Brondold found and... that's about it.”

“I ran into the coven. I overheard them plotting, something about a harvest and destructive storms. They almost summoned what looked like one, but we disrupted the ritual and it dissipated.”

“I had a run-in with the coven before too,” Lyris nodded, “First at their stronghold in the Sea of Ghosts, then in Eastmarch. They tried to... well, let's say they had plans of an unkind nature regarding the Skald-King. I stopped them, then came here to warn Svargrim.”

“So king Jorunn sent you here? Even though he and Svargrim are clearly at odds?”

“It's true that Svargrim and Jorunn don't get along, but the Skald-King doesn't want something terrible to befall Western Skyrim. That would be bad for the east as well as the west. Besides, Jorunn was hoping for an opportunity to improve relations.”

“Seems like it's not going to be an easy task. Which is a bit strange, you'd think he'd have an ear for a person of such renown as you.”

Lyris smiled modestly, but shook her head.

“This axe and I have been all over Tamriel. To oblivion and back on more than one occasion, for that matter – I've earned my reputation. Jorunn hoped that might persuade Svargrim to grant me an audience, but it seems to be working against me.”

“You think so?”

“Most of the tales of my exploits involve the liberal application of the blade of my axe.” Skye muffled a giggle hearing this “Svargrim must think Jorunn sent me to strong-arm him into joining the Pact. He's wrong, but I'd probably jump to the same conclusion.” Lyris sighed, “No matter, Skyrim is my home, and I'll do whatever's necessary to protect it.”

“Then that's something we have in common.” Skye answered with a bright smile, which Lyris returned.

_'Her voice is so melodic and nice,'_ Skye noticed _'With all those legends of The Great Warrior Titanborn - daughter of giants of unmatched strength... I assumed she'd sound more coarse. Well, no point in pondering over myths and bardsong; this is my Reality now.'_

Meandering though the back alleys of Solitude, they finally stumbled upon a small gambling circle, playing dice on a makeshift table and cussing each other out. Skye approached first, just as one of the dice rolled off the table, all the way down to her feet.

“Hey hey hey hey! Don't step on the dice!” a woman scoffed, seeing her stop her foot just above the tiny thing, “What are you here for anyway, hork-face?”

“Brondold mentioned you know something about the smuggled goods from Sentinel.” Skye stated simply, watching her reaction.

“Don't know any Brondold,” she replied cockily, looking her up and down, “Don't know you either. I got nothing to tell you.”

Skye smiled fakely and moved one step aside, gracefully gesturing back at Lyris, who was slowly approaching.

“If you don't like talking to me, then maybe you prefer to chat with my large friend with the axe here.”

“My friend asked nicely.” Titanborn loomed over the woman menacingly, “Talk. Or the next thing to roll will be your head.”

“Kasalla, Kasalla!” she barked angrily, “She handles all the smuggling in Solitude! Her warehouse is on the docks.”

“That wasn't so hard.” the polite smile returned on Lyris's face almost instantly, it was the most bizarre and impressive sight. “Come on, partner. We're done here.”

The next stop was the tavern. The Orc from the notes wasn't hard to spot.

“You must be Maugh.” Lyris approached him, Skye following behind, “I have questions.”

“Hmph! Questions?” the Orc responded, his voice raspy from alcohol, “Happy to oblige! Buy a few rounds and we'll chat.”

“You're _going_ to answer me, Orc. Or.” she steadily reached for her axe.

“Hey!” a female voice came from the side and a slim, young Nord came into view, pointing at Titanborn. She had short cut, flame-red hair and dark eyes; and from her ever so slightly unsteady voice one could tell she had a pint or two already. “Nobody intimidates my friend!”

“Princess Svana??” Lyris was stunned.

“Who gave you the right to walk in here and bully my friend?! Did my father send you?” her tone was spiteful.

“Why... would your father send someone to bully him?” Skye risked the question.

“Because my father doesn't like Maugh.” she scoffed, crossing her arms, “But _I_ like Maugh. Maugh doesn't care that I'm a princess, and it doesn't matter to me that Maugh's a scoundrel. If my father didn't send you, why are you threatening my friend?”

“We wanted to ask him if he knows anything about the people putting up the job postings.”

“Ah, smelly bastards,” Svana cussed, “Cheap, too. Wouldn't buy us a drink! They hung their fliers and left without saying a word. Then a different smelly bastard showed up to sign on workers. He was a charmer though.”

“You remember anything else abut this 'charmer'?” Lyris re-joined the conversation.

“His breeches fit well!” the princess snickered, “And he was handsome. Not a Nord. Breton, maybe? I didn't really listen to what he was saying. A half-dozen workers left with him, off to the Druadach Mountains, or someplace. He hasn't been back since.”

“Thank you... Svana.” Skye replied, weighing her words. She and Lyris left the inn, leading their steps towards the docks.

“So,” Lyris recounted, “we've got a mysterious Breton, possibly working with Reachmen, recruiting workers for some unknown purpose. Plus, there's a smuggler hiding unknown contraband in a warehouse down by the docks.”

“Still not much to go off, isn't it?”

“No, but maybe the smuggler can help us narrow our search for the Breton.”

Once at the docks, they found the right warehouse quite quickly. There was only one sentry at the front door.

“Let's try not to cause a scene.” Lyris noted quietly. Skye nodded and approached the man first.

“Private proper-- wait, a half-giant?? Is that... Lyris Titanborn??”

“You know Lyris?” Skye asked with a raised eyebrow, amused.

“Blood and blade! Everyone knows Lyris Titanborn! What a woman! She's even larger than I imagined. No wonder she fought swordsmaster Sai Sahan to a draw. Wait- is he here too!?”

“No, it's just us. We need to see Kasalla.”

“Unfortunately she is not here right now. Until Kasalla returns however, I'd be happy to keep fair Lyris company in her stead.”

“Could we wait inside perhaps?..” she suggested.

“Alas, Kasalla doesn't allow visitors when she isn't present to conduct business. But we can wait out here.” he lowered his voice to a feverish whisper, “Do you think Lyris could sign my ancestral scabbard? It would mean so much to my son! When I have one. Do you know if Lyris is betrothed??”

“I'm not sure, but if you bring your scabbard, she will be more than happy to sign it!” she responded discreetly.

“Oh thank you, thank you!” the man almost jumped for joy and ran off.

Lyris came closer, following him with her eyes until he disappeared behind a pile of cargo.

“I don't know what you said to him, but this is our chance. Try the lock.”

Skye knelt by the door, pulling out a lockpick and easily maneuvered the door open. They snuck inside the dim-lit building. It was loaded with crates of varied sizes. Most of them looked normal, but some had the same red markings as she saw before on the docks and in the barrow. She forced the closest one open, while Lyris stood watch.

“There's old urns here... I've seen ones like this in the coven's hideout! They're massive!”

She continued running through more boxes.

“Just ash and bones here... and... ew, what is this?” out of the ash-filled crate, she pulled out a small totem, made of bones and wood, decorated with dusty feathers and scruffily tanned leather scraps. She showed it to Lyris from a distance. Suddenly, the door swung open and a bulky woman entered, surrounded by several guards, their weapons drawn.

“I had a feeling it wasn't just some opportunistic thief trying to steal my cargo. What are you after?” she hissed.

“Proof of a plot against the high king.” Skye answered as casually as she could, gesturing loosely at the marked boxes with the hand she was still holding the totem in. “Care to explain what's in these crates? “

“A plot against the high king? Involving plundered antiquities from Hammerfell? Preposterous!” the woman played, “I'm simply facilitating a transaction between treasure hunters and a rich collector. So, who am I paying the bribe to? You, or the high king?”

“What about these Reach talismans then, huh?” Skye pressed on, swinging the tribal fetish right in front of her nose.

“Give me that!” she tried to snatch it, furious, but Skye moved it out of her reach. “Tribal crafts my arse! I told that son of a skeever I don't deal in arcane goods. Especially ones from the Reach! Nothing but sorrow comes from such business.” her expression changed briefly to a fearful one, “It's not cursed, is it?..”

“Who hired you to smuggle these?” Skye asked sternly, ignoring Kasalla's question. She looked anxiously over the girl's shoulder, where Lyris stood, grasping her battleaxe firmly in both hands, silent as a stone.

“No name, just instructions and gold. I never see the same face twice, last time it was a smooth-talking Breton with Nord laborers in tow. You want more – I need assurance.”

“We'll work something out. Go on.”

“They're taking the cargo to an abandoned lodge in the foothills north of Solitude. Occasionally used it myself when the city guard was being through. Want to catch them? Start there. If that's all, we're leaving. I'm not losing my head over this.”

“Can you tell us anything else about the Breton?”

“That one was sly. Handsome even.” she responded, already half-turned away, “Thought he could charm me into taking on additional shipments. Now that I know what's involved, the trouble isn't worth it.”

Skye looked back at Lyris. She nodded and they both left the warehouse.

“Give your sentry my best” Titanborn said to Kasalla just before she stepped out, “and tell him I owe him an autograph.”

The woman only grumbled angrily something about getting more than an autograph if she ever sees him again.

“Brondold had good instincts, we're definitely on to something.” Lyris spoke again, once they were out of the reach of unwanted ears, “Our mystery buyer is hiring locals to haul these urns and Reach fetishes out of the city. But for what purpose?”

“Maybe it has something to do with the ritual I saw the witches perform at the barrow? All of the items I've seen in the crates look eerily similar to the ones there.”

“Hmm...” Lyris paused, “The coven was also perfecting some kind of ritual in Icereach. Something to do with storms. If these fetishes are from Icereach, we might be onto something. Still, why involve the locals? Seems like an unnecessary risk.”

“Doesn't it? But- didn't the fliers say it's a year-long commitment? And yet Kasalla made it sound like there weren't going to be many more shipments. They must need the workers for something else.”

“Good point. We should check the lodge. Head there, while I circle from another direction. Maybe I can catch them before they reach it.”

“Just,” Lyris added, when they were about to separate, “be careful, alright? I'd rather not lose another partner at this point in the investigation.”

Skye nodded with a reassuring smile.

“I'll see you at the lodge.”


	3. A night without stars

By nightfall, Skye reached her destination. The forest was exceptionally dark, a thick coat of clouds covered the sky, just a few patches of moonlight came through here and there. She was grateful for her unusually good night vision. Maybe it was the dragon blood? Who knows.

Dead silence surrounded the lodge tucked away up on the hill. Nothing, not even animals or wind could be heard. Her breath steady and silent, she cautiously approached the hut and reached for the doorknob. Through an inch-wide crack, she peeked inside...

Empty.

Stepping inside, she studied the only room in search of any traces that could have been left behind. There wasn't much here: a simple bed, a couple of chairs, rough table. An extinguished candle stood on it – a string of smoke lazily rising from it told her someone must have been here just moments ago.

 _'I haven't seen any fresh footprints in the snow though... strange.'_ she thought, lifting a piece of paper from the desk. A simple fire spell provided enough light to read.

'The preparations are complete, my Breton brother.' it said.

'We are ready to begin the ritual. Send the latest shipment to Kilkreath temple, Sister Ambritt will put everything to good use.

You have done well. Await my next command.

-R'

“Shit!” she cussed, shoving the letter inside her pouch and rushing out of the cabin. She ran into Lyris just a few steps from it.

“Over here, partner!” her companion called, emerging from the bushes she was hiding in. A bit further back, Skye noticed some bodies lying in the snow, “All I found were these Reachmen stalking the pass. Decided they'd rather die than talk, so I obliged. They don't look like they were from Icereach, but they are wearing the coven's medallions. Anyway, did you find the lodge?”

“Yes, there was no one there, but I found orders for the Breton, to send their latest shipment to Kilkreath temple.”

“Kilkreath?” her brows furrowed, “Why would the Icereach Coven target a local daedra cult?”

“I don't know, but the letter said they're ready to start the ritual as soon as they receive the shipment, we have to get there _now_.”

“Damn... I'll head back to Solitude and try to warn the High King again, you go to the temple and alert Meridia's priests. I'll meet you there as soon as I can.”

“Isn't stopping the ritual more important?”

“You'll be going against the coven all by yourself!”

 _'Ah.'_ Skye flushed.

“Warn the priests” Lyris continued, putting a hand on her shoulder. “If there's an opportunity to _safely_ stop or delay the ritual, by all means. But don't take any unnecessary chances. I still don't want to lose another partner.”

She just nodded, then left for the temple in a hurry.

“Good luck!” Lyris called after her.

Skye sprinted up the snow-covered path, then rapidly stopped when she noticed a human silhouette appear between the trees, approaching her quickly.

“Hold, my friend!” a familiar voice called and soon out of the darkness emerged the face of her vampire companion! “A disaster has befallen Kilkreath!”

“Fennorian! You're here too!” she didn't hide the gladness in her voice, though still catching her breath.

“Didn't I send you to Solitude?? This place isn't safe!” he started with a snap, but quickly reflected himself, “The Icereach Coven performed the ritual and summoned one of those harrowstorms. Now Kilkreath temple is crawling with harrowfiends!”

“I'm investigating the coven too, for the queen. I was sent here to warn the priests.”

Fennorian shook his head in hopelessness, crossing his arms.

“I'm sorry, but you're too late. The coven unleashed their storm and now the entire area is overrun by vampires and harrowfiends... Still, meeting you again is fortuitous” he brightened up a little, “we worked well together before and I could use your help again.”

“What's your plan?”

“We need to examine the strange pikes erected around the temple. Harrowfiends and vampires roam the area, making it difficult to get close... hence the need for your assistance. You see, I'm... not that confident in my combat prowess.” he admitted hesitantly. Skye smiled warmly.

“I'll help best as I can. But are you sure no one survived?”

“There may be survivors, but I wouldn't count on many.” he replied, gesturing at her to follow him, “If only we can learn more about the ritual that summoned the harrowstorm, we might be able to determine how to stop them. Or at the very least, where they plan to strike next.”

“Was this harrowstorm like the one we saw during our escape?”

“What we saw in the barrow was merely a prototype of sorts. This harrowstorm was far more powerful.” he explained with a note of terror in his voice, “It struck the temple, leaving vampires and harrowfiends in its wake. Innocent pilgrims and priests were turned into monsters... I still need to determine the exact mechanism of these storms. They don't resemble anything that my knowledge comprises.”

“So that's where those fiends came from... Were you able to contact your Ravenwatch allies? Did they have any insight?”

“Yes, I managed to do it thanks to you.” he nodded thankfully, “They're currently investigating vampiric activity in another part of the region and attempting to identify the vampire we saw talking to the witch matron. In the meantime, they left me to deal with my own investigation.”

“If you're not a fighter, then why did they make you come to Kilkreath all by yourself?”

“House Ravenwatch's resources are limited and Skyrim is a big place. We operate alone or in groups as necessary, depending on the situation. My task is to track down the remains stolen from Bangkorai and determine what the coven is doing with them. How I approach the challenge is up to me; and truthfully – I hoped to make it here _before_ a confrontation was necessary, but to no avail.”

“Wait!” She stopped him, tilting her head and listening.

“Huh?”

“...Voices” she whispered. Indeed, something akin to occasional groans and sobs, quiet sounds echoed faintly.

“Look! There's a light coming from that cave!”

“You think?..”

“There might be survivors after all.”

They ran to the entrance of the cave – it was very shallow, more of a covered rift in stone, really. Inside dwelled a small group of people, gathered around a fire pit. Some were injured, others – dressed in priest robes – assisted them. One of the golden-clad priests hearing them enter, started speaking.

“More pilgrims seeking shelter from the storm? Ah-” she paused, turning and having a first look at the visitors, “No, you don't appear to be pilgrims. What brings you here?”

“We heard the news of the storm and came to see if you need help.” Skye explained. The priestess smiled and looked up hopefully.

“Even in our darkest hour, Meridia provides a light. We were on our way to see High Priest Varkour when the storm hit. I've never seen such power... It raged like a thing alive! I gathered who I could, but the others are still out there.”

Skye and Fennorian exchanged a nervous glance.

“I saw some seek shelter in the stables northwest of here,” the priestess continued, “Please, search there and send them back here. I must head to the pilgrim's lodge to the west from the temple. Meet me there.”

“Are you sure it's safe for you to go alone?”

“The Lady of Light has always protected us. Why today should be different, I don't understand.”

“Can you tell us anything more of the storm you've experienced?” Fennorian asked.

“We were on our way to the temple for prayers when an oily black ichor roiled in the sky. The wind picked up and red streaks of lightning struck all around us. We barely made it to the safety of this cave... The storm abated, but then the sounds started.” she shivered.

“Sounds?..”

“Groans. Shrieks. Blood-curdling screams! It sounded like some wild, feral beasts followed in the wake of the storm. We didn't dare to step out of the cave until now. We're priests, not soldiers after all.”

The group of three left the cave, then separated. Fennorian and Skye checked the stables first, but found no one there, just corpses and monsters. Grim and quiet, they turned their steps back downhill, to search for remnants of the ritual.

Finally some new shapes emerged between the trees.

“Look, there! That's one of the witch pikes!” Fennorian pointed at a thin, long stick standing on charred ground, surrounded by a pile of wood scraps and loose rope.

“It looks nothing like the one in the barrow, what's up with that?” Skye's brows furrowed.

“The pikes shed their thick shell once they've fulfilled their role. Stand watch, I'll take a closer look.”

Readied bow in her hand, she scanned the area. The eerie silence made her anxious. No wind, not even a breeze. The air stank of hot ash, rot and sulphur.

“An alchemical residue... That should prove useful!” he remarked, gathering a small sample and tucking it away. He stood up after a while. “Let's continue our search. There's nothing more of interest here.”

Slipping past gatherings of harrowfiends, they found a second and a third pike. The former had nothing useful, but the latter was significantly different from the others. The ground around it was singed in a circular, swirling pattern. Blades of grass and lumps of charred wood still emanated a dim orange aura. Something was hanging in the air, it sat on Skye's chest like a heavy boulder, shallowing her breath.

“Can you feel the lingering energy? That's... daedric, if I'm not mistaken.” Fennorian whispered, examining the site, “These depleted witch pikes expended a lot of power to summon the harrowstorm. Now they're just ordinary sticks, but even in this state, they tell us more about the ritual that flowed through them.”

“Let me know when we can move away from the pike. This spot is making me feel ill...” she admitted, trying to force herself to take deeper breaths. He took one more solid glance and backed away from the pike together with her. As soon as the girl stepped out of the burned circle, her breath returned to normal. She sighed in relief.

“Did you notice anything more?”

“Now I'm certain the pikes play a significant role as focal points for the storm ritual. The prepared pikes are depleted as the ritual runs its course, but the energy lingers... Moreover, the residue we've found – it's the remains of an alchemical poultice that was spread over the pikes. Smells like rotting fungus, doesn't it? Perhaps that's what got to you. With a little study, I should be able to identify each ingredient in its makeup. Then I can begin to understand the ritual!”

He continued, “There's one other thing I want to check, before we meet up with the priestess. I noticed pilgrims leading a cart away from the temple right before the storm hit. Coven members could have tried to slip away among the innocents. It should be along the road south of the temple.”

They walked further down and found the cart, as well as – to their surprise - some pilgrims lingering close by. They wandered around aimlessly or stood in place, slouched. The two companions exchanged an uncertain glance.

“Check the crates.” he told her, himself approaching one of the pilgrims.

Skye trotted up to the cart and opened the first crate she could reach.

“Hello?.. Strange...” she heard Fennorian say, “They're alive, but unresponsive.”

“There's more ashes in here.” she called back to him, “What happened to those people?”

“It must be another effect of the harrowstorm... I can't believe anyone knowingly involved would have let themselves be exposed to this. Perhaps the pilgrims were tricked into transporting the crate, or it was slipped into their cart. Let's find the priestess and head to the temple, though I fear what we may find there. It was clearly at the center of the storm, I can only hope examining the target area will offer us new insights.”

The pilgrim's lodge stood just a bit away from the road. Inside they found the priestess of Meridia, desperately reciting prayers in hopes to cure another unresponsive acolyte.

“Acolyte Eivina can't hear me! She's standing right here, but she's...gone.” the woman cried once they approached her.

“That's just like the pilgrims we saw. They wouldn't even move when called. “ Skye replied.

“Is this what would have happened to us all if I hadn't gotten the others into the cave?” the priestess asked, turning pale. Both Skye and Fennorian nodded. “I tried to heal Eivina, but Meridia's light had no effect.”

Fennorian covered his mouth with one hand, lost in thought.

“We must find High Priest Varkour. If anyone is powerful enough to cure this unnatural ailment, it will be her. Meridia willing, we'll find the high priest and everyone else safe inside the temple.” the woman said.

“Let's head out then.” Skye directed this mostly to Fennorian, and that just snapped him out of his thoughts. He agreed and all three left for the temple.

The path led them up through the sparse, eerily silent forest.

 _'Meridia's slacking if she's just letting all this mess happen in her temple. No wonder it got abandoned by the 4th era.'_ Skye thought, _'I wonder if the Dawnbreaker is already there. Maybe I could take it. No, wait- it probably works against vampires too, I'd risk catching Fennorian in the enchantment's blast radius. Would I be even ABLE to take the sword if it's supposed to be there in the future??'_

She shouldn't have let herself get so lost in thought – just when she reached the stairs leading to the terrace, two vampires swooped down right in front of her! She screamed and stumbled back, but Fennorian's reflex bought her a few seconds, as he pushed one of the opponents away with a spell.

She managed to kick the other one in the shins and scramble back up, grabbing her dagger and shoving it under the man's ribs. That might have done it for him, but the other vampire was already charging at her again, fangs bared.

In a reflex, Skye covered her head with her left arm and curled up, blindly slicing at the enemy, but the hit didn't land; contrary to the vampire, who sank her teeth into Skye's forearm – but then the sharp-edged, metal end of a staff thwacked the leech right in the face, knocking her out.

“Are you alright?” Fennorian asked with a slight frown.

“Y-yes... sorry about that.” Skye replied, embarrassed.

“There's nothing to apologize for. Come, let's keep moving.”

The temple's terrace was strewn with corpses. Many of them carried signs of severe burns, but in strangely precise places, like the chest or eyes. The priestess stumbled backwards with a quiet wail, covering her mouth with both hands.

“These are temple priests and pilgrims!..” Fennorian whispered aghast, “It seems the storm was what killed them...”

He knelt by one of the bodies to examine it, “Head into the temple with the priestess, see what else you can learn inside. In the meantime, I'll finish up out here... I'd accompany you, but Meridia doesn't approve of my kind and I'd rather not get on her bad side.”

“Alright, I'll be back soon,” Skye agreed, “Keep your eyes peeled.”

The two women entered Kilkreath temple. Vampires and harrowfiends lurked in the midst of the sinister red fog, that filled the lightless chambers.

“How is this possible? Our master hates the undead!..” the lost priestess whispered, watching in horror what has become of the temple. Luckily Skye remembered enough of her own visit to Kilkreath to lead the shaken up woman safely through the massive stone halls, out of the enemies' sight. Darkness was always her ally, but it felt utterly wrong in this place – a place dedicated to light and life. Everything felt wrong about it.

_'I wonder if that was the reason for the coven to target the temple specifically, out of spite... No, that's too petty of a reason of something so well-organized. Maybe it was just a very potent source to draw from.'_

“Priestess Bavian! Is that you??” they heard a call from a distance. Separated from them by a wall, a trembling acolyte was peeking through a small window. The priestess bolted towards him instantly.

“Croble! Are you alright!?”

“I-I'm safe in here, b-but the rest of the temple – it's overrun with monsters!!” he cried hysterically, “Worse, they're our own priests and pilgrims! I saw one pilgrim attack poor Larilvor, ripped at his flesh with her teeth!”

“Keep your voice down, please” Skye interrupted as gently as she could, “Was it the storm that caused the people to change?”

“The storm?.. I hadn't even thought of that. Terrible things started happening after it began, though... This may be heresy to say, but Meridia has abandoned us!!” he started yelling again “She doesn't care what happens to this place!.. I'm going to stay here only until the danger's passed.”

“No, you can't, this isn't--”

All they heard was a wild, gargling howl, and from the darkness a harrowfiend lunged at the defenseless acolyte! Both women screamed, another monster threw itself at the tiny stone window, trying to reach for them and missing just by an inch.

“Go! GO!!” Skye shouted, shoving the priestess away, further into the corridor, then ran right behind her.

“They're all mad!! Beyond all reason!” Bavian despaired when they finally stopped, hiding in a nook, gasping for air, “Even in this temple, Meridia's light does nothing to help those afflicted with this feral curse...” she paused, “We need to reach the catacombs. It's the only place High Priest Varkour could have hoped to keep our people safe.”

“How so?”

“It's not only a defensible location, it's also where our relic is kept-”

“The Beacon?”

“Yes! It has the power to channel Meridia's light and purge the temple of this corruption... at least I hope it does.”

They both rushed down to the catacombs. Once again, behind the stone door, a familiar sight greeted Skye... but not in a good way.

Surrounded by charred corpses, a figure clad in golden robes stood on the altar, turned away from the entrance. She was whispering something incoherent.

“High Priest Varkour!! Thank Meridia, you're alive!!” the priestess called in relief, running towards the other woman.

But then the figure turned rapidly with a wild hiss, her bewildered white eyes fixating on the soon-to-be victim. The high priest herself turned into a harrowfiend!

Bavian froze in terror, shrieking as the former priest pounced forward. Skye launched two arrows into the monster, but they barely staggered it. The Nord charged forward, hoping to draw the creature's attention on her and buy the helpless priestess time to escape.

“Run!!!” she yelled, but Bavian just shrunk into the nearest corner, deaf and paralyzed.

Skye sidestepped onto the altar, leading the harrowfiend as far away as possible. Abandoning the bow, she put all the hope in her axe. She managed to land a few slashes, but they weren't nearly as effective as she wanted. The monster lurched at her, smashing her arm against a dimly glowing pedestal. Her axe fell to the ground.

“Faas!!” the shout of Fear was the first thing that came to Skye's mind as she saw the drooling creature loom over her, but one Word was too weak to bend the mind of what was once a human; the monster only staggered.

But that was all she needed. Almost as if led by someone else's hand, she reached behind with her left arm and pulled, drawing none other than the Dawnbreaker from its stone cradle. In a full-force swing, the sword struck the harrowfiend, sending a massive wave of light on impact.

The crash of a magic explosion filled the chamber, muffling Skye's scream of pain. She released the sword instantly and curled up, pressing her left fist to her side.

The Dawnbreaker lay on the stone floor, shimmering angrily with pale orange and blue flicks of energy. Beside it, a pile of ash was all that remained of the harrowfiend.

Repressing a hiss, Skye lifted herself up and approached priestess Bavian, who was quietly sobbing in the corner.

“Did you get hurt?..”

The woman didn't even look up at her for a time.

“Such terrible things... An unnatural storm... vampires... innocent people turning into monsters... It seems that Meridia has abandoned us to our fate. Why, I cannot say.”

Skye remained silent for a long time, unsure how to comfort her.

“You know... Sometimes your god's aid isn't as clear as you'd like it to be. At... least... some of your people survived...”

Bavian's gaze finally met hers, “How fragile my faith, when I can depend more on help and comfort from a stranger, than from my god...” she spoke, unsteadily lifting herself up, “Thank you. I'm not sure my faith is strong enough after all that had happened, but I must try sealing and purging the temple now.”

Skye nodded and greeted the priestess quietly. Just before leaving she turned once more, to see priestess Bavian lift up the Dawnbreaker with reverence and place it back in its stone sheath.

_'She could lift it without any problem... does that mean I wasn't supposed to hold it for any longer than it took to kill the harrowfiend? The colours it had after I dropped it were so odd, too...'_

As soon as she got outside, she knelt down and shoved her left hand into a pile of snow. A sigh of relief escaped her as the frost finally numbed her pain.

“You're finally out!” Fennorian ran up to her, “I was starting to-- What's the matter with your hand?”

“I, ah, got hurt a bit.” she admitted with an awkward chuckle.

“Let me see.”

She stood up and showed her open hand to him. It was the first time she looked at the injury herself as well - it looked similar to a burn. Not deep, but spread evenly on the inside of her palm, even on the fingers. It had a strange grainy, swirly pattern to it. She winced.

“This looks like an arcane burn, how did you get it?” he asked, with one hand holding hers wide open; casting a gentle healing spell with the other. A pleasant, warm breeze spread over the burn, erasing the pain and closing up a few bleeding tears.

“I... might have touched something I wasn't supposed to. Oh-- That feels... nice.” she was surprised.

“You've never been healed with magic before?” he rose an eyebrow questioningly, moving on to bandaging her hand with a linen strap.

“Not by others. Usually I was the one casting.”

Fennorian's ears perked up ever so slightly, “So you've studied restoration magic as well?”

“W-well, studied is too big of a word, but I've learned the basics myself. I'd _like_ to learn more someday though.”

“It's still beyond me how you got this sort of injury.” he spoke after a while, neatly tying up the ends of the bandage, “You shouldn't be affected by anything directly coming from Meridia. Were there remnants of the harrowstorm inside as well? Though this still doesn't look exactly like the injuries I've found on the victims outside...”

“No, no, that's not it, not even close. It's, um-” she stuttered nervously, seeing the anticipation in his eyes. _'Great, how do I explain THIS without sounding ridiculous OR insane??', “_ Uh, h-how familiar are you with the concept of Dragon Break?..”

“That's close enough, leech!” they both jumped hearing a woman's voice, whose tall silhouette emerged from the darkness, approaching quickly with a readied axe.

“No, Lyris-!”

“Wait! WAIT! I'm not part of the coven!!” Fennorian cried rapidly, lifting his hands in front of him and shrinking.

“Looks like I made it back just in time” Titanborn spoke, still distrustful and ready to strike, “This place is crawling with vampires and this one was just about to make a meal out of you.”

“Noo, this-” Skye barely stifled her laughter and stepped closer, with one hand gesturing for Lyris to stand down and with the other calling her vampire friend to come closer, “this is Fennorian of house Ravenwatch. He's investigating the Icereach Coven, just like us. It's him who helped me escape them before. Uhm, Fennorian, this is Lyris Titanborn, she serves King Jorunn, we're working on the case together.”

Fennorian smiled and waved nervously, still feeling safer a step behind Skye.

“House Ravenwatch? I've heard of them, but he's a long way from Rivenspire... Well,” she shrugged “if you're willing to trust a vampire, I suppose I can, too. I spotted a coven witch. If we hurry, we might be able to catch her.”

“A coven witch? We haven't ran into any so far, where is she?”

“On the cliff overlooking the temple. Calls herself Sister Ambritt. I was going to rush her, but I wanted to make sure you hadn't run afoul of any of these monsters first. No offense, Fenn.” she nodded to the vampire. His expression changed into a surprised one, though Skye wasn't sure if it was for Lyris's sudden change of stance, or how casually she just nicknamed him. “Come on, if we're lucky, the witch is still up there.”

“Perhaps I could question the witch _before_ you introduce her to your impressive axe blade?” Fennorian suggested with just a note of sarcasm. Skye had to bite down on her lips to not start laughing. Lyris however, was already on her way, so she ran after her.

Atop the cliff stood an altar. Among a ring of ancient stones they found the witch, admiring the aftermath of her macabre sorcery.

“Not even harrowed?” she spoke, noticing the two women approaching,”Seems like the ritual needs refinement!” The witch swooped down from her pedestal and sounded a horn she unstrapped from her belt.

A horde of skinless, black dogs crept out from behind the stone pillars, a sickly dark mist stirring beneath their feet. Their empty eyes glowed red, drool and blood dripped from their permanently bared fangs. Growling and snarling, they slowly closed in on the intruders like a pack of hungry wolves, then leaped to the attack! Lyris swung her axe, knocking one or two down already; and engaged as many of the hounds as she could, giving Skye a clearer shot.

“Kill her before she can summon another storm!!”

One of the hounds slipped past the warrior and launched at Skye! She smacked its jaw with the heavy, metal tip of her bow, then hurriedly aimed and shot at the witch. The arrow darted her shoulder, but didn't interrupt the spell she started channeling while backing away quickly.

This time with a steadier hand, Skye fired another arrow after her – it stuck in the matron's thigh. She knelt down with a loud groan, blood dripping onto the snow, but she didn't stop casting. When Skye rushed at her, Ambritt released the power she had stored in her hands and sent a wave of solid ice right at her. Skye tried to dodge, but a large chunk of ice smacked the side of her head so hard, that she saw stars.

Before she could scramble back up, Lyris charged right at the witch and with one massive blow split her skull in half. One last hound pounced at her desperately, but Skye's dagger flew right into its head and the creature fell with a scowl.

A gust of wind carrying a reddish cloud blew past Skye and she jerked, startled – but it was just Fennorian.

“I hoped-- sorry-” he added briefly, seeing her reaction, then carried on speaking to Lyris, “We could have taken her prisoner. No matter! I've found something. This way!” he called triumphantly, waving his hand at them to follow.

“Go with your vampire friend,” Lyris commanded, “I'll have a look around here.”

Fennorian led her to a small altar, hidden from sight by a dense thicket. Shattered remains of urns littered it and the ground surrounding it. The snow was tainted with ash.

“Do you see?? These are the same as the urns smuggled from Bangkorai! They didn't just shatter, they _exploded_!” he explained frantically, “And I can sense traces of magicka clinging to the shards, that match the energy used in the storm ritual. These other fragments though--” he grabbed a small, sharp fragment of shimmery, engraved stone, then gestured at their surroundings “all this rubble scattered around didn't just come from these urns. The texture and patterns are different. They appear to have used the funerary dust to summon the harrowstorm, but I'm not sure what was in the larger vessels.”

“Larger? Like the massive ones from the barrow?”

“Yes-- look at the shape of the fragments,” he ran his finger around the edge of the one he was holding, “they come from a hollow receptacle of some sort, something at least as tall as you, perhaps larger.” he took a deeper breath, then returned to speaking at a more normal speed, “Just another piece of the puzzle. Maybe when I analyze the witch pike residue, an answer will suggest itself.”

“If you come to Solitude, I'm sure there will be a place where you can safely work on it.” She suggested.

“Ah, thank you, but no. I try to avoid large population centers. The temptation's... you understand.” he admitted self-consciously, giving her a brief awkward glance. “I'll find someplace nearby but out of the way, where I can set up my equipment and work undisturbed. I'll send word, when I have something to report.”

He continued, “I've met a clever woman who lives in the bog near Morthal. Old Mjolen's a dying breed among the Nords, a practitioner of the old magic. The locals both admire and fear her. If anyone can help me untangle the coven's ritual, it's her.”

“So... you and your house have never encountered anything even remotely similar?” she asked gently. He shook his head.

“The Ravenwatch has had to curtail rogue vampire clans and put down feral bloodfiends on occasion, but I've never dealt with anything like this before. People turning into harrowfiends, or becoming mindless harrowed... it's a nightmare.”

It clearly weighed on him. Skye couldn't help but both admire and pity the immense sense of responsibility Fennorian had for this matter. She knew what the burden is like, after all.

“Right...” she answered quietly, then sent him a sad smile, “I'll see you soon then; good luck with the research. Oh-” she stopped, gesturing at the bite mark on her left arm, trying to make it sound casual, “I don't have to worry about this, do I?..”

Fennorian paused, taking a moment to catch what she meant, then shook his head with a placid smile.

“That's a werewolf bite you're thinking about; or a bloodfiend. Being turned into a vampire doesn't work like this - you'll be fine.”

“Oh, alright.” she stepped back up to him slowly “...How _does_ it work then?”

“It requires a ritual. It's fairly simple, but dangerous, as the sire – the vampire turning the other person – must be in full control of their own urges. First they bite them and mix their blood into the mortal's; then offer them a drink of their own. The transformation has practically immediate effect, and it's not pleasant.”

“Were you... turned like this as well? Or born?..” she asked cautiously.

“You can't be born a vampire, either.” he leaned on the stone table, looking down; his voice suddenly losing its spark. “I was turned several years ago, but I prefer not to speak of it...”

“Oh... I-I'm sorry...” she shrunk.

“Don't be. This is who I am now. I'm proud to be part of Ravenwatch, proud to have studied its ways with Verandis. I wouldn't have it any other way.” he replied smiling comfortingly, though his choice of words and tone revealed there was deep sadness underneath.

“Um, one more thing,” she stopped herself from leaving for the third time, “I-it's not like I have something against this, I mean kind of-- but not to generalize! And just--” she spoke faster, tripping over her own words, “I mean I just didn't want to waltz into Solitude not being sure what could happen-” luckily she lost her breath on the last word, giving Fenn a chance to reply.

“I understand.” he said simply. Skye bit her lips shut, nodding in one last greeting and then awkwardly turned around and waddled away.

 _'Will there come a day when I stop making a fool of myself in front of people whose opinion I care about? It is not likely!'_ \- she thought to herself in a cheerful irony.


End file.
